The Key to Happiness
by believer2010
Summary: Everyone knows Anastasia's tale, right? Okay, so probably not many people do...it wasn't one of Disney's endeavors. Fox took it on, though and did an amazing job! Anyways, it's about a young girl who loses everything she cares about more than once. Along her journey, she finds the key to happiness.
1. Hope Was There

_Anastasia watched in horror as her friend's horse ran out of control. Something had to have spooked him. Snow's horse was one of the best in the kingdom. After a little begging, Anastasia's father agreed to let her and Dmitri join Snow on a journey to find the king a new wife. Dmitri was one of the stable boys at Anastasia's home. They grew up together in the castle and became incredibly close. Snow White was the princess of a neighboring kingdom. Their fathers held meetings together frequently as they made a truce long ago to watch over each other's kingdom. Their truce was as strong as their growing friendship._

"_You two stay here!" Johanna, Snow's maiden, commanded as she took off after Snow on her own horse._

_Anastasia looked toward Dmitri for comfort. His eyes held concern, but hope was there too. "She'll be okay, Anastasia." He said. His confidence and faith made her relax some._

_The seconds seemed to tick by before she saw Johanna and Snow appear from over the mountain. The horse was calm now and Snow looked unharmed. Anastasia let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Her friend was okay!_

000

_A few weeks later, their fathers had one of their frequent meetings. This time, they were in Anastasia's kingdom. Snow, Dmitri, and Anastasia were enjoying each other's company over cookies and milk. Anastasia was pleased that Snow would be getting another mother soon. Who knew that the woman that saved her on the horse would take on this new role?! As the group started to talk more and more about it, Anastasia noticed that her friend did not look as excited as she should have been._

"_What's wrong, Snow?" Anastasia questioned. _

_Snow looked desperate. "I…can't tell you."_

"_Why not?" Dmitri asked curiously._

"_Because I promised I wouldn't." Snow whispered. "I promised to keep it a secret."_

_Anastasia met Snow's gaze. "Is it about Regina?"_

_Snow hesitated than nodded. Anastasia continued, "You don't have to tell us, but if you want to, we're here to listen."_

_Snow bit her lip, weighing her options._

"_We won't tell anybody, Snow." Dmitri piped in._

_Snow sighed. "Regina isn't going to be my mother. She's in love with somebody else."_

"_Oh," Anastasia was taken back. "Is that what's bothering you?" Anastasia thought her friend would be fine with that. She knew they both agreed how important it was to marry for true love. They hoped for the day they would find it for themselves._

_Snow shook her head. "No, it doesn't bother me." Snow smiled. "Nothing can break true love." Her face turned serious. "What's bothering me is that Regina and her mother aren't close. She's running away with Daniel without telling anyone, because she is afraid of what her mother would think."_

"_Who's Daniel?" Dmitri asked, with his mouth full of a cookie._

_Anastasia glared at him. "Don't talk with your mouth full! That's horribly rude, Dmitri! Daniel is Regina's true love...try to keep up!"_

_Dmitri frowned. "Sorry!" He sarcastically whispered. _

_Anastasia shook her head at him and then turned her attention back to Snow so she could finish. _

"_No one should lose their mother." Snow said. "We all know how hard that is."_

_Anastasia nodded in agreement. All of the kids surrounding the table had lost their mothers, all in different situations. The subject was a soft spot. "I don't understand. Why would Regina's mother not want her to be happy?" Anastasia asked._

_Snow shrugged. "I don't know…she just said I couldn't tell anyone. I guess she doesn't trust her mother very much. I don't think they are very close."_

"_That's sad. I think her mother would understand." Dmitri stated. "Regina should give her a chance. I bet she wouldn't mind at all!"_

_Anastasia nodded again. "Maybe you should do something, Snow…..losing people you love is the worst curse of all."_

_Snow bit her lip. "Maybe you're right."_

_000_

_A week later, the wedding ended with a grand ball. Anastasia sat in the ballroom with Snow. Her grandmother Marie was close by. They were both sad to hear that Daniel left Regina. However, they agreed that everything had worked out: Regina still had her mother and Snow would get one too! Anastasia couldn't wait to meet Snow's new mother._

"_Can we go now?" Anastasia asked as she watched Regina take her seat. Snow laughed with delight._

"_Yes, now!" Marie stated. She said they had to wait until Regina had a moment to spare._

_The both ran across the ballroom floor to where Regina sat, giggling the whole way. "Regina," Snow began anxiously, "this is my friend Anastasia."_

_Regina smiled. "Hi, Anastasia. It's nice to meet you."_

_Anastasia smiled back. She liked her already. "It's nice to meet you to, your majesty. I think you'll like living in a castle. It's fun! I'm sorry to hear about Daniel."_

_The queen's smiled faded. "Excuse me?"_

_Anastasia cringed. "Oops…" She looked at Snow, guilt crowding her eyes._

"_Snow…." Regina began, trying desperately to control the anger that swelled within her. "Who else have you told about this?"_

_Snow shook her head. She looked as though she might cry. "No one! Only your mother and Anastasia…..well, and Dmitri, but he doesn't really….."_

"_Who's he?" Regina cut her off._

"_He's a stable boy in my kingdom." Anastasia explained. "He won't tell a soul. I promise!"_

_Regina calmed down some. She was afraid of who Dmitri might be. The fact that he was a poor child gave her no reason to worry. "Good." She put on a fake smile. "If you'll excuse me, girls, I believe the king is calling me over."_

_The rest of the evening, Regina was fuming inside. Snow was no longer the only one to blame. She had help from her friend, this Anastasia. She had obviously planted ideas in Snow's head. They shared the blame….nothing close to what Snow had done, but still….she needed to pay._


	2. The Marble Box

Anna ran her finger tips over the marble box. It was exquisite…almost familiar in some strange way. She leaned in closer to get a better look at the detail.

"Can I help you?" A voice from behind her asked.

Anna jumped. The voice had startled her; she was so intent on the piece, lost in her thoughts. She spun around, as if a kid caught in the act.

"I'm sorry." The man smiled. "I didn't mean to scare you."

The teasing look in his eyes that made Anna feel defensive. She raised her eyebrow. "You didn't scare me. I just didn't hear you coming."

The man ignored the comment and glanced behind her. "It's a beautiful jewelry box, isn't it?"

Anna followed his gaze. "Are you sure it's a jewelry box?" Anna asked.

The man cocked his head. "What else would it be?"

She touched the smooth marble surface again. "Maybe a music box." She answered, as he looked up at him. "Where did you get it from?"

The man reached behind Anna and picked up the jewelry box. "Uh, I found it in the back."

Anna wasn't sure she believed him. "Why would someone leave such a thing behind?" The shop the man had bought from Mr. Gold was quite the fixer-upper project. The jewelry shop this man was able to open up, though, was impressive. It clearly wasn't completely finished yet, but it was well on its way.

The man shrugged. "Whoever it was didn't bother to leave the key behind." He tried to open the box, showing Anna it wasn't possible.

Curiosity struck Anna. She took the box from him and tried to look through the key hole. "Is there anything inside?"

The man took the box back and walked toward a cabinet. "I guess we'll never know." He opened the cabinet and locked the box up inside. Anna glared at his back. She was just looking.

"I wasn't trying to take your precious box from you." Anna inwardly cringed as the words escaped her mouth. Sometimes she spoke without thinking. This was one of those times.

The man turned around, looking taken back. Anna felt sorry she spoke without thinking until the man answered back. "Oh, I know you weren't." The man leaned in and whispered, "That's why I put it away." He smirked in a way that made Anna want to hit him.

The man stretched out his hand. "I'm Devin."

Anna raised her eyebrow, but shook his hand anyway. "Anna."

"Well, Anna…it's very nice to meet you." He turned to walk away. "Come back anytime you'd like."

Anna gawked at him. "Are you kicking me out?"

Devin turned back to face her for a second. "If that's what you want to call it, then yes. I'm kicking you out."

"Why?"

Devin looked around as if he was about to tell her a dark secret. "Because, believe it or not," He whispered, "I have a life outside of this shop."

With that he walked away. Anna stormed out of the shop. So much for finding a birthday gift from her grandmother! She had lost the ability to walk a few years ago. It killed Anna that she couldn't afford to care for the both of them, but it wasn't like her grandmother would want to rely on Anna that much anyway. In fact, she told Anna they both needed to feel independent. She was a strong woman. Much of who she was had worn off on Anna. She wanted to find something special for her. Maybe she should just go to Mr. Gold's shop instead! Anna huffed. Mr. Gold already owned the whole town. Anna wanted to use her money elsewhere. What a horribly rude man Devin was! And that smile! It was so…mischievous. _And attractive. _Anna shook her head, hating herself for the thought.

So caught up in her own thoughts, she didn't see the oncoming car as she stormed across the street. It screeched to a stop, but seconds too late. The impact knocked Anna to the ground. The last thing she remembered was being blinded by a light.

000

_Rumple circled Regina. She had come full circle. It took a little prodding, but he had her exactly where he wanted her. But he had to test her to be sure. "Do you know one of the best parts of magic?" He questioned her._

"_Power?" She asked._

_Rumple laughed. "Well, yes….but power for what?"_

_Regina shrugged. "For whatever you want."_

"_And what is it you want, dearie?"_

_Regina looked up at him, determination in her eyes. "Revenge." She growled._

_Rumple laughed, pleased with her answer. "Besides your mother, who else took your happily-ever-after away from you?"_

_Regina gave him a look that said he already knew the answer. "Snow."_

"_Is that all?" Rumple challenged._

_Regina thought about it for a second. "There was her friend…Anastasia. She helped Snow, she gave her the idea."_

_Rumple leaned forward. "Anastasia…she won't be a problem anymore, dearie."_

_Regina cocked her head. "What is that supposed to mean?"_

"_As of last night, she lost her memory, she lost her home. Her kingdom will now fall to yours." He paused, studying her shocked expression. "You're welcome." He bowed sarcastically._

"_Why would you do that?" Regina asked skeptically._

_Rumple was pleased. The question didn't stem from hurt for all that Anastasia lost. It came from the fact that she didn't trust him…she didn't understand why he'd do her a favor. "Think of it as a wedding present. I wanted to help you feel how good revenge can be. Now just imagine getting it yourself? You see, dearie, killing is too quick, too simple. It doesn't give the satisfaction of ruining someone's life, of taking away someone's happy ending, of watching them suffer."_

_Regina nodded. "I understand."_

_Rumple smirked. "Then you're training is complete." He leaned in. "Now…go get your revenge against Snow White."_

_Regina turned to go before looking back at Rumple. "How did you do it? How did you take Anastasia's happiness away?"_

_Rumple smiled before starting to walk away. "Piece by piece, dearie." He called back._

_000_

_Anastasia couldn't wait for the ball that night! The Romanov family had ruled the kingdom for over 100 years now. Tonight was the celebration of the success of that rule. Anastasia was the next ruler in line, but she rarely thought of it. She was too busy living in the moment. However, Marie knew that, when the time came, her granddaughter would be more than ready to take the throne._

_The ball was more beautiful than Anastasia could have ever imagined. It was her first ball in her own kingdom. Her daddy said she could not attend the balls until she was old enough. Well, she wasn't a child anymore. She was 8 years old already, and her daddy finally agreed to let her go! She could dance with her father forever. She convinced him to dance with her every dance, until he finally said he had to stop or the room would never stop spinning._

"_You, Anastasia, are a very good dancer." Her father told her as he led her away from the dance floor._

_Anastasia laughed easily. She gave a bow. "Thank you, kind sir. You made a good partner."_

_Nicholas bent down beside his daughter. "You think so?"_

_Anastasia nodded empathetically. "Yep, I will always like dancing with you best!" _

_Nicholas smiled. He saw so much of his past wife in her. She was becoming the person they both wished she'd be. He touched her nose. "That's right, because no one is better than your father!" Nicholas looked around the room. He barely said a word to anyone else but his daughter all night. He decided, as king, he'd better be a little more social at his own ball. He looked back towards his daughter. "Why don't you go keep your grandmother company for a while?"_

_Anastasia happily agreed. Nicholas watched as she skipped over to where her grandmother was and curled up next to her. Laughter echoed around both of them._

"_Will you read me another bedtime story tonight, Grandma?" Anastasia pleaded._

"_Oh, darling," Marie began, "I can't. I have to pack tonight."_

"_Pack?" Anastasia started. "You're leaving already? You've only been here a week!"_

_Marie put her hand on her granddaughters arm. "I know, but I must go." Her home-comings were full of joy, but her departures always broke Anastasia's heart. It broke hers too. The kingdom life was not for her, though. She willingly supported her husband, but when he died of unknown causes, the royal life lost its appeal. Instead, she moved to the country-side overlooking the kingdom. It was absolutely breathtaking up there. It gave her privacy and time to paint. Sophie, Marie's longtime friend, provided much needed company. Sophie had been Marie's maid in the palace. When Marie left the castle, Sophie willingly and faithfully followed her._

"_I have something for you, though, my dear." Marie said. She pulled out a small music box from the bag beside her and handed it to her granddaughter._

_Anastasia gasped, her eyes lighting up. It was the exact reaction Marie was hoping for. "It's beautiful, Grandma!" Anastasia exclaimed. She tried the locked and frowned. "It won't open."_

_Marie handed her the second part of the gift. It was a small, rustic key on a dark chain. "This is the key. You can wear it as a necklace."_

_Anastasia's eyes continued to shine as she admired the key. "It says 'Always Together'." Anastasia noticed._

"_Yes, I had that engraved." Marie explained. "You see, darling, although I may not always be here in the palace with you, we will always be together here." Marie pointed to each of their hearts._

_Anastasia smiled at her grandmother knowingly as she opened the jewelry box. She instantly recognized the song it played._

"_It's our song!" Anastasia exclaimed. "The one you always sing to me at bedtime."_

_Together, they sang the lyrics in unison:_

_**Dancing bears, painted wings**_

_**Things I almost remember**_

_**And a song someone sings**_

_**Once upon a December**_

_****__**Someone holds me safe and warm**_

_**Horses prance through a silver storm**_

_**Figures dancing gracefully**_

_**Across my memory**_

_****__**Far away, long ago**_

_**Glowing dim as an ember**_

_**Things my heart used to know**_

_**Once upon a December**_

_****__**Someone holds me safe and warm**_

_**Horses prance through a silver storm**_

_**Figures dancing gracefully**_

_**Across my memory**_

_****__**Far away, long ago**_

_**Glowing dim as an ember**_

_**Things my heart used to know**_

_**Things it yearns to remember**_

_****__**And a song someone sings**_

_**Once upon a December**__**  
**_

_When the song was over, Anastasia put the key around her neck. After she admired it for a heartbeat longer, she flung her arms around her grandmother's neck._

"_Thank you, Grandma! It's the best present ever!"_

"_Oh, Anastasia," Marie said, "I…."_

_Her words were cut off by the panicked voices and hurried footsteps of a handful of castle guards that interrupted the celebration._

_King Nicholas turned to face them. "What is the meaning of this?" He demanded._

"_There's an army coming!" One of the guards answered in panic._

_Nicholas marched toward the guard, raising his arms up to calm the people down. His lowered his voice so only the guard could hear. "Whose army?" _

"_We don't know for sure. We've never seen the likes of them before. They are being led by a man in a black cloak. He knows magic." The soldier lowered his voice ever more. "I'm not certain the army is human, your majesty. In fact, I think the man leading them may not be a man at all. I think it is Rumplestiltskin."_

_Rumplestiltskin? An unknown army? What reason would he have for stirring up such a threat?_ _Nicholas tried to make sense of the guard's words as he pulled out his sword and headed towards the door. "Get my daughter and mother to safety, and make sure the guests find their way out through the back door. Do it quickly."_

_Another guard ran in. "They've breached our borders!"_

_With that, the door to the ballroom came crashing down, several armed men flooded in._

"_Daddy!" Anastasia screamed. Her happy life was falling apart without warning, right before her eyes._

"_Come, Anastasia!" Marie commanded. "We have no time. We must hurry."_

"_I can't leave him!" Anastasia cried._

"_We must. You have to trust me." Marie called. She hated to see her granddaughter's hurting eyes, but she had no choice but to pull her away._

_Anastasia reluctantly followed. Their steps were hurried as fire started appearing at the windows. Where did that come from? She was having a difficult time processing all that transpired around her and keeping up with the guard escorting them to safety. Suddenly, the guard fell without warning. He was groaning. Anastasia watched in horror as she realized an arrow had pierced his chest. Anastasia froze, a single tear running down her face. Why was this happening? Feeling a hand grab her, she jerked her head up. It was Dmitri._

"_Go through the servant's quarters! You can get out of the castle safely from there." He opened the door for them._

"_Thank you, Dmitri!" Marie answered. Anastasia couldn't say anything, couldn't move; she just looked at him in shock._

"_Anastasia, you have to go!" Dmitri pushed her along, closing the door behind them._

_Dmitri looked down to where Anastasia had been standing, wondering when he'd see her friend again. It was then he noticed something shining in the darkness. He walked closer, and picked the item up. It was a small, decorative box. Was it a jewelry box? Dmitri gasped. It had to be Anastasia's. She must have dropped it in the panic. Dmitri ran toward the door. _

"_Anastasia!" He yelled. "Wait!" His shoulders shrunk. He knew it was too late. She was already gone._


	3. The Worst Curse of All

Anna woke up to a vaguely familiar voice calling her name.

"Anna?"

"Mmm?" She tried answering. Her head was furiously pounding, making it hard to focus.

"How are you feeling?"

Instead of answering, Anna threw out her own question. "What happened?" She asked. Anna squinted in the light, still trying to figure out who she was talking to and where she was. She almost gasped when she realize the figure sitting at the edge of her bed. "What you are you doing here?" Frustration instantly shot through her as she recognized Devin smiling down on her, of all people!

His overbearing confidence bugged her. Nothing seemed to faze him. "To answer both of your questions," He began, "you hit my car. It has a small scratch on the…."

Suddenly, Anna's memory came back. She was hit by a car. It wasn't speeding or anything, but it was fast enough to knock her down and out. Her frustration only grew as she realized who the car belonged to. She shot up in bed, instantly wishing she hadn't. Her head was spinning. She grabbed her head to try to make it stop. "I was knocked unconscious and you're worried about your car?"

Devin seemed to ignore her. "Do you have good insurance? I need to get my car looked at, and I really don't have the money."

Anna glared at him. "You are truly unbelievable." She meant to say more, but he stopped her.

"Anna, calm down. I was only joking. Dr. Whale said you'll be fine."

For the first time, Anna saw sincerity in his eyes. She laid back and looked away from him, trying to think of something to say. As if on cue, Dr. Whale walked in.

"I thought I heard voices in here." He said. "How are you feeling?"

"A little woozy…and I have a headache," She shot a look at Devin, "but nothing I can't handle."

"I'm glad to hear it. On that note, as long as you take it easy for a few days, you should be fine. If your light-headedness doesn't cease after tonight, I would suggest coming back for a follow-up."

Anna nodded. "Duly noted."

"You're free to go as soon as your dizziness subsides. There's no rush, just take your time. If you need me, I'm only a page away." Dr. Whale smiled.

Anna returned the smile. "Thank you, Dr. Whale."

He nodded to the two and walked away.

000

"_This way!" Lancelot yelled as he led them toward the stables. He met them on the other side of the servant's quarters. He was the most trusted guard at the palace. He quickly took to Anastasia as she did to him. Once they reached the stables, he handed a horse's reigns to Marie and took Anastasia onto his horse. _

"_Are you ready?" Lancelot called to Marie._

_She nodded toward the guard and gave a reassuring smile to Anastasia. Anastasia looked back at the castle as they rode away, tears streaming down her face. Would she ever be able to come home again? Was her dad okay? Where was Lancelot taking them? Questions ran through her head. Questions she had no answers to._

_Suddenly, a dark-hooded figure appeared from the darkness, summoning fire around them. Anastasia gasped, clinging to Lancelot. The horses began to panic, but Lancelot and her grandmother succeeded in keeping them calm._

"_Did you really think you could escape so easily?" The man laughed his voice so full of hate._

"_Do what you want with me, but let my granddaughter go. She's done you no harm." It was a plea with a hint of a threat. _

_The man smirked. "Oh, I know, dearie. But she did to a certain acquaintance of mine."_

_Lancelot pulled out his sword. "What are you talking about?"_

_The man pointed at Anastasia. "Well, you see, it's sort of a long story…the important part is that the young princess got in the middle of a horrid rivalry…I'm afraid I have no other choice than to fuel the fire, so to speak."_

_Lancelot leaped toward the man, who instantly threw something at him. Whatever it was, it made Lancelot freeze in thin air. "Nice try, dearie." The man said to Lancelot as he stretched his hands in one smooth motion. Maria and Lancelot instantly disappeared. The magic scared the horses into frenzy all over again. This time, they could not be calmed. Anastasia was bucked off. When the hooded man began walking toward Anastasia, she quickly backed away, fear gripping her every breath. She wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn't come._

"_I'm sorry!" Anastasia cried. "Whatever I did, I'm so sorry!" She shook her head, still trying to back away as far she could. She could feel the heat from the fire surging around her. "I didn't mean to…."_

"_Oh, it's far too late for that, dearie." The man assured her, taking off his hood. Anastasia gasped as to whom was behind the hood. Rumplestiltskin? It had to be him. The stories she heard of his alligator like skin were true. A man taken by magic, evil consuming him. He thought of no one but himself. It didn't make any sense, though. What did he want with her? _

"_Please," Anastasia made one last plea, "don't kill me."_

"_Oh, don't worry," Regina smirked, "I'm not going to kill you. That would be far too harsh of me; you're just going to lose your memory."_

"_What?" Anastasia cried, trying to get a hold of her fear. Her father's thoughts instantly rang through her mind: "Remember that there is no need to hide from fear, as long as you learn to use it to your advantage."_

"_I demand that you tell me why you're here!" Anastasia ordered. They were both surprised as to the fire she found within herself._

Rumplestiltskin looked impressed. "And why should I listen to you?"

"_Because, it won't matter anyway, if what you're saying is true. I'm about to forget everything. What harm can it do if you tell me?"_

"_A last request, is it? Fine." Rumplestiltskin agreed. "It's Regina…she partly blames you for Daniel's death."_

"_Death?" Anastasia echoed._

"_Yes," Rumplestiltskin was getting impatient now, "now please, don't take this personally. It's business." _

_The last thing Anastasia saw right before all went blank was the fire disappearing as Rumplestiltskin calmly walked away. _


	4. A New Life

"Why are you here?" Anna asked as soon as Dr. Whale left. She wasn't one to beat around the bush.

Devin smirked. "Well, I didn't think leaving you lying in the middle of the street was a good idea."

Anna gave him a sarcastic look. "I meant why are you _still _here."

"Why don't I give you a ride home?" Devin suggested.

Anna hesitated. "You don't have to do that."

"Oh, don't worry. I'm not doing it for you. I'm doing it for me."

Anna could only stare at him in confusion. She was having a terrible time trying to figure him out. He seemed to enjoy keeping her guessing.

"You see," Devin explained, "I'm hoping my act of kindness will clear this guilty feeling I have inside. It's very unsettling."

Anna glared, finally seeing his reasoning. "Well, it's certainly the least you can do after running me over with your car."

"I didn't run you over. I nudged you."

"Oh, so you admit it was your fault?"

Devin shrugged, totally unaffected by her bluntness. "Sometimes my car has a mind of its own."

Anna couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, is that what it was?"

Devin hid his smile. "Is this your way of accepting my offer?"

Anna sighed and started to get up. "Well, I guess I don't have much of a choice, now do I?"

Devin insisted on helping Anna to her feet, although she fought him the whole time. She took pride in her independence. However, as soon as her feet touched the floor, she was glad Devin was there to catch her. Her head was spinning more than she realized.

"Do you need to sit back down?" Devin asked.

Anna looked up at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes again made something inside her melt, but she quickly recovered. "No, I'm fine. I just need to find my balance."

As soon as Anna gave the word, they were off again. Devin refused to let go of her arm all the way to the car. Anna wasn't shocked that Devin drove a black Mustang. It was a very attractive car, and he was obviously very much attached to it. Even though Anna still felt dizzy, she couldn't help but tease him once she was seated inside the car.

"I don't see any scratches." Anna commented.

Devin huffed. "That because you didn't hit this side of the car."

Anna smiled. "Oh, so it's my fault again."

This time, Devin was the one who gave her a sarcastic glance. Still, Anna noticed that he hid a smile behind that big ego he hid behind. The ride to her house was fairly quiet. The only conversation they held was Anna's directions to her house. Anna didn't mind, though. Her spinning world made her in not much of a mood to talk. When they arrived at the house, Devin was once again insistent.

"You don't have to walk me to do my door."

"I'm not walking you to your door. I'm walking you all the way in." He leaned in toward her ear as he helped her out of the car. "I don't want you to sue me." He whispered.

"I know. You're not doing this for me; you're doing this for you."

He smiled. "Now you're getting it."

As Anna unlocked the door, Devin never let go of her arm. "Where would you like to sit down?"

Anna looked at him. "Devin, I think I got it from here."

"Anna," He sounded like a big brother getting on to his little sister, "we already talked about this."

Anna sighed. Very few people were so persistent with her. "On the couch."

Devin did his best to make her feel comfortable. Anna couldn't help to be touched by his kindness, regardless of his motivation.

"Do you need anything to eat or drink?"

Anna thought about it. "I could go for some milk and cookies." It was her comfort food.

Devin smiled. "What a great idea, so could I."

Devin followed her instructions to where they were at in the kitchen and came back juggling two glasses of milk, a plate of cookies, and a game of checkers Anna had sitting on her kitchen table. She and her grandmother, Maria, liked to play together.

"What about a game of checkers with our snack?" Devin asked.

Anna smirked. "I don't remember inviting you to stay."

Devin met her gaze. "Well, I don't remember asking. Plus, I want to make sure you're okay."

Anna didn't argue and was glad for her decision. She thoroughly enjoyed the evening.

"How did you get so good at this?"

Anna finished her cup of milk. "My grandma and I have played since as long as I can remember."

Devin smiled easily. "Oh, an unfair advantage!"

Her clock struck 9:00 p.m. Devin checked his own watch, not believing the time.

"I think I've stayed past my welcome." He said.

"Well, technically, I never actually welcomed you." Anna teased.

"Oh, is that why you offered me cookies?" Devin shot back.

Anna smiled. The ease of humor that flowed between them was as unique as the jewelry box in his shop.

Devin got up to leave. "I'll be back tomorrow to check on you."

"You don't have to do that, Devin." Even though Anna secretly wanted him to, he'd done more than enough already.

"Oh, I'm not doing it for you." He leaned in closer and whispered like he'd done all night. "I just want more cookies."

000

"_You are never going to get the crops done in time." _

_Vlad didn't know how many times he heard his wife Willow say this. They were poor…had been from day one. They always cut the crop season close, but somehow he always managed to get the work done. You'd think after a decade, his wife would trust him! They were on their way to the market to try and sell what they had gathered already. Apparently, his wife thought this was the perfect time to start nagging him…again. Their home was on the outskirts of town, surrounded by trees. It was going to be a long walk. _

_Vlad suddenly stopped in his tracks. "What happened here?" He asked to know one in particular._

_Everything was burnt. Everything was dead. Vlad walked deeper into the burnt forest, when something caught his eye lying on the ground a few feet away. Wait…it was someone!_

"_Oh, good heavens!" Willow exclaimed. "Look at what we have here!"_

_Vlad surveyed the young, lifeless body that lay curled up on the scorched floor. The young girl's clothes were burnt and torn; her face full of soot. _

_Willow's face scrunched up. "Is she alive?"_

"_I'm not sure." Vlad answered, a little annoyed at his wife's lack of thoughtfulness in the given situation. _

Willow pushed him forward. "Well, go look!"

Vlad got his balance and looked back at her. "Why me?"

"Because," Willow answered impatiently, "you are the one who needs help on the farm."

Vlad's eyebrows narrowed. "She's only a child! What good could she do? She'd be more of a burden than a help."

"From the looks of things, we can't really afford to be so picky!" Willow put her hands on her hips, obviously annoyed. "Well then…." She looked at him expectantly. "Get on with it!"

_Vlad sighed and slowly knelt down beside the girl. He put his hear toward her mouth. Although she was breathing, the breaths came shallow. She needed immediate attention. They had come just in time. Vlad surveyed the area. She was obviously alone and abandoned. There was no telling how long she'd been laying there. The surrounded looked freshly burned, but there no smell of smoke. Plus, the fire only burned in a circle. It was very strange. Nothing really made sense, but either way, her family should have found her by now. _

"_Is she alive?" Willow asked from afar._

_Vlad looked over his shoulder at her. "Yes, but we need to get her back to the house."_

_Once the girl was comfortable enough in their warm cottage, Vlad and Willow sat down, watching the sleeping child. Their life together would be less than admirable. They didn't have much to offer, but the girl didn't seem to have much of a choice. She needed a home…but Vlad was afraid they would only be able to offer her a place to stay. _

_000_

"_What's going on? Where am I?" These were the first questions that came to her mind. She just didn't realize she said them out loud. _

"_Well, look who finally decided to wake up!" The voice was harsh and unloving. She felt someone sit on the bed; her eyes were still trying to focus. She had a horrid headache._

"_How do you feel?" This voice was different, kind and a little uncertain._

_She wasn't sure how to answer. Everything was so foggy. She couldn't think straight. _

"_What do you remember?" It was the harsh voice again._

_She considered the question for a second before panic took over. Her head started spinning. "I don't remember anything." She finally could focus enough to see who she was talking to._

"_It's alright. Lie back down. You've been through a lot." The kind voice belonged to a man with a warm smile, but frightened eyes. She obeyed willingly. Something about him was so soothing._

"_Vlad, you're scaring the girl." It was an older woman. She was a sharp contrast to what she guessed was her husband. Her eyes unloving; her voice frightening. "You'll be fine, Anya. You just slipped and hit your head. After you rest a while, you can help us collect the crops." She seemed to try to paste on a smile._

_Anya. She called her Anya. "Who are you two?" She breathed as she looked around. "Is this where I live?" Anya felt a tear run down the side of her face. Why couldn't she remember?_

_Anya missed the look Vlad gave his wife. They never agreed to lie to the poor child. She'd been through quite enough. Willow's eyes gave a warning look. Vlad got the hint and chose to let the matter go. He wouldn't win anyway. _

"_Don't cry child." It sounded more like a command than comforting words from the women._

"_Anya…." Vlad whispered. "We'll explain everything in the morning. You need to get some rest. I'll be right here when you wake up."_

_When the girl fell asleep, Vlad shot a look at his wife. "What was that?" He asked._

_Willow glared at him. "What on earth are you talking about?"_

"_Anya? Our daughter? Why were you feeding her lies? She deserves to know…."_

"_To know what, Vlad?" Willow cut him off. "That her family abandoned her?" Willow shook her head. "We can't help her, Vlad. This is how it has to be. She's not our daughter. She's our help. Please, spare yourself the pain of getting attached."_

"_Exactly how long are you planning on keeping this charade up?" Vlad questioned._

_Willow met his gaze. "For as long as it will last."_

_Vlad let silence pass between before asking, "Why the name Anya?"_

_Willow shrugged as she walked away. "I always liked that name."_

_Vlad glanced toward the girl again. They never had kids of their own. They couldn't. Don't get attached? Vlad wasn't sure how he couldn't. He'd always wanted a child. Deep down, he knew Willow did too._

**A/N: Hey fellow Oncers! I didn't discover Anastasia's fairytale until I was a little older. I really liked it from the get go, though! Since it's not a well-known one, I figured I could be more freely creative with it. I posted the first three chapters simultaneously to keep the momentum going. Moving forward, I'll post new chapters randomly here and there. No worries, though! There will be at least one new chapter posted each week! Thank you for the kind reviews!**

**Shout out: If you like this story, for sure check out bean21 (especially if you like the mad hatter!) and EternityIsNow (unbelievable talent!). They're two of the reasons I'm into writing! **


	5. The Key To It All

Anna stretched her back, regretting the fact that she slept on the couch all night. She looked at the clock. 11 a.m. She slept in longer than she expected! Good thing she called the vet office last night after Devin left to explain why she wouldn't be making it to work for a while.

Anna shuffled her way to the kitchen to get herself a glass of milk. She was please to discover that she wasn't dizzy anymore and her headache wasn't pounding as hard it had been last night. As she leaned against the counter, sipping her milk, Anna caught her image in window. There was a small scratch on her forehead. Had she really hit the ground that hard? Anger surged through her. Devin acted like this was no big deal! She shook her head, her pride getting the best of her. Her grandmother's words quickly rang in her head. _Men rarely say sorry with their mouth, Anna. They usually say sorry with their actions._

Anna sighed. Regardless of what he claimed, Devin's actions showed her that he cared. Anna decided a shower would her wake up and clear her head. She headed to the bathroom, glad that her job willingly gave her a few days off. She felt incredibly wore out. David, a recent hire, was more than happy to help her out by taking the bulk of her work.

She was glad for her decision to take a shower. She felt very much refreshed afterwards. As she finished brushing her teeth, she heard a knock at the door.

"Coming!" She called.

The person on the other side was the last person she expected to see.

"Devin?" She wasn't sure what else to say.

He held up a paper bag. "I brought lunch if you have the cookies."

She smiled and welcomed him in. "It sounds like a fair deal."

"You look like you feel better today." Devin commented, as they sat down on the sofa with homemade peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cookies.

"I have a scratch on my forehead." She wasn't embarrassed by it; she just stated it as a fact.

Devin looked down on her. "It's barely noticeable."

She stared at him. "So you did see it and you didn't say anything?"

He shrugged. "I thought you knew. Besides, what's the big deal?"

"It hurts my pride." Anna admitted.

Devin laughed. "Well, I think you're beautiful, scratches or not."

Anna felt her mouth drop open. He said it as if he was talking about the weather. Who made comments like that without a second of uncertainty? Devin watched her reaction, his eyes dancing with mischief. When she caught that look in his eye, she frowned. How could he be so caring one minute and arrogant the next?

"You just don't say things like that to get someone's reaction!" She scolded.

He took a bit of his sandwich, totally unaffected by her disapproval. "Why not?" He said with his mouth full. "It's true."

"No talking with your mouth full." Anna felt ridiculous. She was scolding him like he was a child.

He swallowed before answering. "Come to dinner with me tonight at Granny's."

She cocked her head towards him, finally recovering from the earlier shock of his comment. "As a friend or as a date?"

Devin laughed. "How about as an attempt at either?"

Anna hesitated. Her heart told her yes, but her head told her no. Her heart won the moment and she agreed. However, after Devin left, her head was spinning again. What was she thinking? She barely knew this guy, and the thing that brought them together was a locked marble box and the fact that he hit her with his car. She shook her head. Her grandmother would not approve. Anna cringed. She hadn't even told her about the accident yet. It would only worry her anyway.

Anna stared to pace the room. Should she really go with him? _I could cancel_. Anna thought. She looked at the clock. _3 p.m._ He'd be by to pick her up in 3 hours. That at least gave her time to see her grandmother.

She could use her advice.

000

"My goodness, Anna. What happened to your forehead?" Those were the first words out of her grandmother's mouth when she arrived. She lived only a few blocks from her house, so the walk wasn't horribly long. Her head did hurt a little more after the jaunt, but she was too afraid to drive yet.

She involuntarily touched the spot. "I bumped my head." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the truth.

"On what?"

Anna sat down across the table from her grandmother and cringed, preparing herself for the panic to come. "On the pavement."

Anna watched her grandmother's eyes grow. Before Maria could comment, Anna held up her hand to stop her. "I'm fine. A, uh," She looked for the right words, "man grazed me with his car…but Dr. Whale said I'll be fine after I relax for a few days." She quickly added.

"How did you get here?"

"I walked."

It was obvious her grandmother disapproved. "You shouldn't have come."

"I knew you'd be worried if I didn't visit for a few days." Anna tried to come every day, as time allowed.

"Well, I'm even more worried now! Who ran you over?"

"He's a jewelry shop owner. His name is Devin. It was an accident. He's been incredibly kind."

"Oh, my goodness, Anna." This time her comment didn't hold shock, but amazement. "You like this man!"

She felt her cheeks turn red. She shot her grandmother a look. "Gram, I do not."

"Anna," Maria laughed. "Don't you lie to me!"

Anna opened her mouth to argue, but knew it was no use. She crossed her arms in defeat. How her grandmother was able to see through her so easily, Anna couldn't imagine. Still, whether or not she wanted to admit it to herself, she did like him. There was something so…refreshingly different about him.

"Fine! I kind of like him."

"That's better." Maria smiled in victory. "Is that what you came here to tell me?"

Anna sighed as she tapped her fingers on the table. "He asked me out on a date."

Maria raised her eyebrow. "What did you say?"

"Yes." Anna shook her head, hardly believing she agreed. "But I don't know if I should go."

"Well, you have to now. You said you would. You'll break the boy's poor heart." Maria smiled at her granddaughter. "Now there's something I haven't seen you do for a while."

Anna started at her. "What do you mean?"

"You always play with your necklace when you're in deep thought or troubled about something."

Anna looked down at the key around her neck; she didn't even realize she held in her hand. It was a small, rustic key that her grandmother gave her. She bought it for Anastasia's birthday years before from Mr. Gold's shop. Anna's parents died when she was just a child. They only had each other now.

"Do you think I should have said yes?" Anne hated to ask. She wasn't a girl anymore; she should be able to figure this out for herself. She usually was very independent. But this was different. This was delicate. This was her heart. Her grandmother's laughter brought Anna back to the conversation.

Anna stared at her. "What's so funny?"

Maria smiled thoughtfully, "Leave it to you to ignore every man in Story Brooke, but take fancy to the one who hits you with his car." She started lightly laughing again.

"Grandma, this is important!" Anna couldn't believe she was taking this so lightly. But when her grandmother couldn't stop laughing, Anna had no choice but to join her. It was sort of ironic.

When the laughter subsided, Maria turned serious. "Anna, how will you ever know what could be if you never give it a chance?"

Anna looked down, playing with her necklace again. She didn't know what to say.

Maria placed a hand on her granddaughter's arm. "So my answer to your question is yes. I think you should go."

000

_Vlad walked inside the house. His breathing was heavy. He and Anya had knocked out a good portion of the crops already. However, he needed a drink of water. He met his wife at the table, when he noticed something in her hand catch the light._

"_What do you got there?" He asked passively, until he noticed his wife's quick movements to hide whatever she was holding back in the box. _

"_It's nothing." Willow quickly answered._

_Vlad raised his eyebrow. "What do you got there?" He asked again, more intently this time._

_Willow glared at him. "I already said it's nothing." She went to get up, but Vlad stopped her. He usually wasn't this persistent. He usually let whatever Willow was doing slide. However, this was different. He didn't know why, but it was._

"_Show me what's in the box, Willow." He whispered gently._

_Willow sighed and, after a moment's hesitation, complied. She handed him a key around a chain. Vlad studied it. The words "Always Together" were engraved on the key._

"_Where did you get this?"_

_Willow looked away from his gaze. "It belongs to Anya."_

"_Really? I don't think I've ever since it before." Vlad commented, studying it more._

"_That's because she hasn't either."_

_Vlad gawked at his wife. "You hid this from her. Why?" Vlad shook his head in disbelief. "Why lie about something so simple?"_

_His wife suddenly got defensive. "For the same reason we've lied for the past 10 years. We needed help and who better than a girl who doesn't remember who she is and doesn't have a family who cares to find her?" Willow took the key from him. "And this would hinder that."_

_000_

_Anya wiped the sweat from her brow. It was such a hot afternoon. She looked at her ruff hands. Ten years of farm work would do that to you. She was glad the harvesting season was coming to a close. Anya raised her head up. She heard her father call her name. When she saw him beckon her from the house, she headed his way. When she got closer, she noticed he held something in his hand. It was shining against the sun._

"_What is that?" Anya asked curiously. _

_Vlad handed the item to her. "It's yours."_

_Anya looked up in shock. Her parents had never got her anything before. They couldn't afford it. Guilt took over Anya. "Oh, you guys didn't have to…."_

"_We didn't." Vlad quickly assured her._

_Anya was confused. "Then where did you get this?"_

_Vlad opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He cleared her throat and tried again. "Your family gave it to you." He hesitated. "Your real family."_

_Anya felt her legs go weak; her heart seemed to stop beating. Everything around her went still. Tears stung her eyes. "What?" She breathed._

"_Anya," Vlad tried, "let me explain….."_

"_You're not my real family?" She cried. "Who is?"_

_Vlad shook his head, sadness clouding his eyes. "I don't know. We found you unconscious in the woods. When you didn't remember anything, we..." He looked for the right words. "We let you believe we were your family."_

_Anger replaced all the emotions Anya was feeling in an instant. "You lied to me? You took me from my family? How could you do this to me?" Anya couldn't believe it. She shook her head in disgust. She looked behind Vlad to Willow before growling the words, "I never want to see either of you ever again."_

_With that, she walked off. Even though Anya heard her name called without fail, she never looked back._

_Vlad's shoulders slumped as she watched her daughter run off. He knew this would come one day. He knew Anya would eventually leave, like she should have done from the beginning. He knew she would eventually find out the truth. He knew her daughter would hate them. He knew they'd never see her again. He just didn't expect it to be so soon. He also didn't expect the deep hurt within him. Vlad looked toward his wife. If he didn't know better, he could have sworn he saw a tear run down her face. _


	6. Pooka

Anna slowly made her way back to her house, her grandmother's words going through her mind. She knew her grandmother was right. But still, she didn't like the feeling of vulnerability.

Anna turned around at the sound of a dog's bark. There was a playful dog running up behind her. He danced circles around her. Anna smiled. She's always had a soft spot for animals. That's why she became a vet.

"Well, hello there! Are you lost?" She bent down and looked at the collar around the dog's neck as she petted him. There was a name tag, but no address.

"Pooka? Where are you?" Anna heard a man's voice call for the dog. He whistled. "Come here, boy!"

At the soft command of his owner, Pooka ran toward the voice. Anna looked up to see who the dog belonged to. "Devin?" She stuttered.

"Anna? What are you doing out here? You should be resting." Devin scolded. "Besides," He smiled, "don't you have a big date to be getting ready for?"

Anna raised her eyebrow. "I didn't take you for a dog person."

"Well, there's not a whole lot you know about me." He smile faded. "Did you walk?"

Anna sighed. Why did people keep asking her that? "I'm fine. I feel one-hundred percent better."

Devin looked at her skeptically, but didn't push the issue. "I'll see you tonight." Devein clapped his hands." Come on, Pooka." The dog happily followed.

Anna stopped them. "That's a unique name for a dog. How did you come up with it?"

Devin smiled. "It means _playfully mischievous_."

Anna smiled back. "I like it. It's very fitting."

000

_Anya wasn't sure how long or far she had walked before finally slowing her pace to a stop. She leaned against a tree and, tried as she might, couldn't stop the tears that continually flowed. Who was she? Who did she belong to? Where should she go now?_

_For a second, she entertained the thought of going back because of fear, but the thought quickly passed. What would she really be going back to? The only thing that was there for her was lies. What kind of home was that? That was no life…_

_Anya looked up; a small cry broke her thoughts. She looked around. There it was again. Her curiosity got the best of her, and she followed the ever growing cry. After a few yards, she found the owner of the cry. A dog that had the face of a wolf, with one blue eye and one brown eye, was caught in some bushes._

"_How'd you get in there?" Anya asked, as she carefully approached, hoping he was a nice dog. The helpless look on his face, that Anya was sure matched her own, made her not hesitate to let him loose. _

_When she felt the branches loosen around the dog, the dog darted from its confinement. She turned around and laughed at the way he wiggled and jumped around, glad to be free. Anya wished she felt like that, finally free from her confinement. Yet she didn't. After watching him a while longer, she walked away, leaving the dog alone to celebrate._

_After a while of walking, she felt someone behind her. She gasped and whipped around, not sure what she expected to find. What she found was the dog she had saved. How long had he been following her? Anya wasn't sure._

_She smiled and knelt down beside the dog. She started patting him behind his ear. "Don't you have a home?" Anya questioned._

_The dog sat down in front of Anya and wagged his tail. When he noticed a stick lying a few feet away, he picked it up and started playing with it. A playful growl sounded from him. Anya smiled. She could use a companion._

"_I don't have a home either." She motioned him along. "Come on."_

_As if he understood exactly what she was saying, he dropped the stick and followed her. She watched him for some time. "You're a little mischievous, aren't you?" The dog happily trudged along. "I'll call you Pooka. I'm pretty sure it means mischievous. It's a very fitting name for you." _

_000_

_Anya was glad she knew her way to the town. She hadn't been there for a long time. Her "parents" didn't like her going out alone. Now she knew why. They probably didn't want her real family to spot her. Anya froze. What if they did now? What if they were here? Would they even recognize her? Would she recognize them? Anya shook her head. She needed to calm down. They probably didn't even care about her. It'd been 10 years and they never found her. Anya played with the key that now hung around her neck. "Always Together." Anya laughed. Yeah, right._

_Anya took a few minutes to look around the town, since she rarely got the chance to growing up. A group of kids laughing caught her eye. When she got closer, she noticed a man was putting away some puppets. He must have been giving them a puppet show._

"_Mr. Geapedo, can't you give us one more story?" One of the children pleaded._

_The man smiled. "You always ask for one more story!" He looked behind the curtain. "What do you think, Pinocchio? Do we have time for one more?"_

_The boy scratched his head, pretending to think hard. "I don't know, Papa…" _

_The children egged him on to say yes. The boy smiled. "Ok, I guess we can do just one more." _

_The man laughed. "Alright, one more story it is. But this one is going to be a little different. This one really happened." The children laughed as his dramatic whispering. Anya hid her smile as the man continued, "Once upon a time there was a young princess named Anastasia. She was in line to become the next heir of the 100-year Romanov reign. Her care-free smile and kind personality were proof that she would make a great queen one day. She loved living in the castle, but loved when her grandmother's visits even more. This next visit was special. They would be celebrating the long reign of her family by throwing a ball at the castle in honor of Anastasia's wise father, King Nicholas. The night turned horribly wrong when the castle was attacked. The castle was overthrown by a man of dark magic! The Romanov reign came to a brutal end." He took a dramatic pause._

"_What happened to Anastasia and her family?" One of the children asked._

"_Anastasia's father died a heroic death saving his daughter. Anastasia's grandmother escaped, but," Another pause, "Anastasia was never seen again."_

_The children started protesting in unison. This was not the fairytale ending they were used to. The man quieted them down. "Wait, wait! I have not finished the story yet." He chuckled at their reaction. "There are hopes that the princess still lives and will one day come back to her kingdom."_

_The children cheered. Anya smiled. It was the happy ending they were hoping for. Suddenly, a deep, emotional pain stung her heart. Happy endings rarely happened. They weren't part of reality. As the children began to leave, Anya approached the man and his son. _

"_Excuse me, I couldn't help but overhear your story to the children. You were great with them." She looked behind the man toward the shy boy hiding behind him. "You were great too."_

"_What do you say, Pinocchio?" The man said._

"_Thank you." Pinocchio answered quietly._

_Anya smiled. She nodded at the man and turned to walk away. When a gnawing question stopped her, she turned back. "Did that truly happen?"_

_Geapedo smiled. "Yes."_

"_In which kingdom?" She asked._

_Geapedo spread his hands out and looked around. "Ours."_

_Anya thanked the man and gave her farewell. Something about the story bothered Anya, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She looked toward her loyal companion. She had bigger things to worry about at the moment. _

"_Okay, Pooka," Anya said as she looked around the town, "first things first: I need a job."_

_Pooka barked as if agreeing. _

_After several turn-downs, Anya couldn't take it anymore. She didn't realize how hard this would be. She needed a break. She found a nice spot on a nearby hilltop, overlooking the town. She petted Pooka as she pondered what to do next. If she couldn't get a job, she wouldn't get money. And, if she never got money, she'd never be able to save enough to leave this place, to start a new life. Suddenly, she heard voices behind her. She turned around. They must have been a ways away since the voices came as faint whispers. She crawled up to the top of the hill to get a better look down. She saw two figures behind some distant trees. If she strained enough, she could make out what they were saying._

"_And you're sure this will work?" The younger man sounded skeptical._

"_Positive. It will show you what you truly desire." The dark voice assured. "Do we have a deal?" Anastasia's ears perked up. That voice…it sounded vaguely familiar. Where had she heard it before? Maybe in a nightmare when she was little…the voice was haunting. _

"_What's in this for you?" The young man questioned._

_The dark voice turned sober. "The satisfaction of doing this in memory of a friend. I know what it's like to lose what you love. Let me know when you find what you're looking for."_

_With that, the man with the dark voice vanished. Anya gasped. How strange. What he truly desired. Curiosity gripped at Anya. What was he after? Was it gold? That could help her gain the fresh start she so desperately wanted. Against all reason, she followed the man._

_The man made his way back into town and headed toward what appeared to be an inn. Anya was relieved. Hopefully, she too could find a place to stay there. Once she entered the inn, she lost the man in the crowd of people. No matter, she needed to secure a room first anyways. She met the man behind the desk._

"_Can I help you?" He questioned grumpily._

_Anya cleared her throat. "Yes, I was wondering if you had any rooms available."_

"_Yeah," He answered, "if the price is right."_

"_Well…." Anya tried to find the right words. "I sort of don't have any money, but I'd be more than willingly to…."_

_The man's grunt cut her off. "I'm sorry sweetheart…no money, no room." He looked down towards Pooka. "And no pets."_

"_But I…."_

"_I'm afraid you'll have to leave. It's as simple as that."_

"_You don't understand…." Anya reasoned._

_The man hit his fist against the desk. "I said leave!"_

_The man's tone was getting on Anya's nerves. She had been man handled since she was a child, but not anymore. "I will not tolerate being yelled at. You will show me some respect!"_

_The man looked amused. "Or you'll what, princess?"_

_Anya stepped forward before a hand stopped her. She looked up. It was the man she'd been following. He talked before Anya could argue._

"_You'll have to excuse her, sir. She has quite the temper." The man explained._

"_You know this woman?" The innkeeper asked._

_The man studied Anya for a second before answering. "Yes, she's my sister."_

_Anya was baffled. What was he doing? The man met her eyes and gave her a look that made Anya trust him and say nothing. Besides, she was curious as to how this would turn out._

"_Well, then. Be sure to keep her in line. I don't want any trouble." He stared at Anya. "The dog still can't stay."_

_Anya glared at him and opened her mouth to speak before her "brother" gave her a warning look. Anya sighed and looked at her fellow companion. "Come on, Pooka." She whispered. The dog whined, but reluctantly followed._

_Anya felt the man follow her out. She spun around as soon as they were out of earshot of the inn. "Who are you and what do you want?" _

_Pooka must have felt her change in mood, because he began to growl at the man. Anya seemed totally oblivious, lost in her anger. _

_The man backed away from the dog. He didn't like where this was going. "I was about to ask you the same question."_

_Anya's brow furrowed. She felt herself get defensive. She took a step toward the man. "What on earth are you talking about?"_

"_First, call off the dog." The man requested calmly as he could._

_Anya looked at Pooka, as if noticing the dog's growling for the first time. "Pooka, it's okay." She said softly. The man gawked in amazement as her dog instantly stopped growling and lay down at her feet. She looked up. "Answer my question." She demanded._

_The man crossed his arms and leaned closer, still as calm as could be. "You've been following me since the woods. Why?" He wasn't being accusing or demanding, just curious. _

_She didn't know how he knew so easily that he was being followed or why he didn't say anything sooner. She was sure she was being quiet and careful. Apparently, she wasn't doing a good enough job. Anya met his gaze without fear. "I'm a girl who wants a new start." _

_The man titled his head. "And how is following me going to accomplish that?"_

_She was growing tired of his questions. "I overheard you talking to that man in the woods. What are you looking for? Treasure?"_

_The man smiled. "I'm not looking for anything of monetary value."_

_Anya was confused. "Then what is it you are looking for?" She asked, growing impatient and wanting nothing more than a direct answer._

"_I'm not sure that's any of your concern, Miss…." He waited for her to finish the sentence._

"_Anya." _

"_Miss Ana."_

"_It's Anya." She tried to put more emphasis on the "y"._

"_Right, sorry." He started to walk away. "My room is number 715. Feel free to stay there tonight. I won't be there."_

_Anya glared at his back. Did he really just try to dismiss her so easily? "Wait! You never told me who you were."_

_He glanced toward her. "Dmitri."_

"_Well, it's nice to meet you, Dmitri." She sarcastically said. _

_He nodded toward her and started to walk away again before Anya asked another question. "Why did you help me back there?"_

_Dmitri huffed. "Well, I couldn't very well find out what you wanted if you went and got yourself killed."_

_Anya's defense went up again. "I would have been fine without your help."_

_Dmitri laughed. "Oh, yes. I could see that by the fear in your eyes."_

"_I was not afraid!"_

"_Okay, I'm sorry. I guess I didn't realize how inconsiderate of me it was to help the eavesdropping woman who doesn't have a place to stay."_

_Anya's mouth fell open. "I was not eavesdropping! It was coincidence." Anya lowered her voice, as not to draw unnecessary attention to them. "And I don't need your charity. I'll be fine on my own."_

"_I wasn't doing it for you, Anya." Dmitri exaggerated. "I'm not even going to be there tonight. I'm traveling on as of right now, actually."_

"_How far away are you going?" Anya asked curiously._

"_And why would you want to know the answer to that question?" Dmitri cautioned._

"_Because I want nothing more than to get out of this town!" Anya had never felt so desperate before. "If you're going far, I want you to guide me. I don't know my way around or I'd do it myself."_

"_And what would I get out of it? Since you seem to think I care of no one but myself." Dmitri declared sarcastically._

_Anya met his gaze with fierce eyes. "Because I too know what it's like to lose what you love. That's why I want a fresh start, to take away the hurt."_

_Dmitri studied her before looking away. After a few seconds of thought, he sighed. "Fine, but don't expect me to babysit you."_

_Anya didn't like that he pictured her as the damsel in distress. "Not to worry. I already told you that I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."_

"_Yeah, I noticed." Dmitri mumbled under his breath. He looked at Pooka. "The dog can't come, though."_

_Anya followed his gaze toward Pooka "And why not?"_

"_Because I don't like dogs." He paused. "I think I'm allergic."_

"_You're making that up!" Anya put her hand on her hip. "He's going."_

_Dmitri met her gaze. He couldn't believe how stubborn she was being. "He stays."_

"_He goes!"_

"_Or what?"_

_Anya thought for a second. "Or I won't call him off next time."_

_Dmitri smiled. He underestimated her. "Fair enough."_

"_So he goes?"_

_Dmitri put his hands up in defeat. "He goes. We leave at sunrise."_

_**A/N: I am a HUGE August fan, so I knew I had to incorporate Pinocchio & Geapedo in my story somehow. I hope you guys like it! To take a story based in Russia to Fairytale land, I had to change a few things to make it work, but I had to keep Pooka! **____** I think he's very important In Anastasia's story. And can I just say that I'm pleasantly surprised that quite a few more people than I thought actually know who Anastasia is? **_


	7. It Feels Natural

Anna paced her living room, watching the clock and playing with her necklace. 6:03 p.m. He was late! What if he didn't come? Anna felt stupid. Why did she care? If he didn't show up, so be it. Just as she was about to give up hope, a knock sounded on the door. Anna froze; she felt her heart stop. It had to be him. She slowly walked toward the door, taking a deep breath before opening it.

"You're late." She teased as she took him in. He wore nice slacks and a grey dress shirt that brought out his blue eyes. Anna was glad she didn't dress up too much, wearing a black skirt and purple blouse.

"It's called fashionably late." He shot back. "I'm trying to keep up my charisma." He held her hand out to her. "Shall we?"

She rolled her eyes, trying to ignore her beating heart. "We shall." She said as she passed by him, ignoring his outstretched hand. She met his gaze as she slid passed him and grinned. He matched her grin and shook his head at her independent nature.

She stopped once she reached the sidewalk and turned to face him. "Where's your car?"

"Well, your first meeting with my car didn't go over so well, so I thought we'd walk instead."

Anna studied him. "Are you serious?"

"I'm very serious." This time, Devin passed by her and gave her a grin. "Let's go."

Anna took a deep breath before following him. He was such a mystery to her; yet, she couldn't help but find out why. They walked side by side in comfortable silence for some time, before Anna finally spoke.

"So what were you doing?"

Devin looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"When you hit me with your car, what was distracting you from the road?"

"My flowers fell from off the passenger's seat."

"Flowers?" Anna's curiosity rose. "For who?"

Devin laughed. "You're jealous."

Anna glared at him. "I am not!"

"Okay, then it doesn't matter who they were for."

Anna sighed in frustration. "Devin, just tell me."

He stopped in front of her and crossed his arms. "Admit it first."

She sighed in defeat. "Fine. I am horribly jealous." She sarcastically admitted.

Devin smirked and continued walking. "They were for someone I cared about."

Anna raised her eyebrow. What did he mean by _someone_? "You're going to have to be more specific than that."

"Her name was Helena. She was my mother. I always take flowers to her grave on the anniversary of her death."

Her caution turned to sorrow in an instant. "Oh, Devin. I'm so sorry." She tried. "I didn't…."

"I know." Devin stopped her, touching her arm. "Don't worry about it. It was a long time ago."

"That doesn't take the pain away." Anna whispered knowingly. She decided it was best to change the subject. "So tell me about your shop."

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything. Why did you buy the shop? Why jewelry? Why now?"

"Well," Devin began. "I've always been fascinated with jewels. They're so pure, so unique. It's much like love. Once you find it, you can cherish it forever. I waited until now because I didn't have the money. Once I saw the shop and found out Mr. Gold wasn't attached to it, I decided it was a perfect opportunity."

The rest of the way to their destination, Devin talked about his plans for the shop. Anna listened intently, taken in by how much this meant to him.

"Well, I think it's a great plan." Anna said when he finished as he opened the door for her to Granny's. "And I think this was a great choice."

Devin smiled, pleased she approved.

"Anna! How are you?" Ruby greeted her. It was then she noticed him. "Oh, and Devin." Ruby gave Anna a look. Devin didn't miss the heat that reached Anna's cheeks. Still, he tried to hide his amusement. "I have a table for two right this way." Ruby said.

"Thank you, Ruby." Devin said.

The dinner went by the quickly, the conversation light and free. Anna couldn't get over how well they just clicked. She only read about this sort of thing in fairytales. This was their first date, and she already felt like she knew the real him.

On the walk back home, Devin took them on a detour.

"Where are we going? My house is that way." Anna pointed him in the right direction.

"I have to get something first."

"What?" Anna asked, curiosity taking over again.

Devin put his hands in his pockets and leaned her way, coming close to her ear. "It's a surprise." He whispered.

He took her down by the bay. The sunset was breathtaking. A man selling roses greeted them passingly. Well, at least Anna thought they were passing him. Devin stopped abruptly.

"I'll take a white one." He paid the man and handed the rose to Anna. "For you." He playfully bowed to her.

She carefully lifted the flower from his hand. "Why thank you, good sir." She bowed back, struggling to hide her laughter. She took in the smell of the rose. "It's lovely." It was perfect. Anna didn't miss the symbolism either. He picked a white rose, not a red one. It was pure. It was unique.

The walk back to her house couldn't be more romantic. It was the perfect setting, complete with a rose, a cool breeze, and a soft whisper of something new and exciting. Devin stopped at the bottom of the steps leading up to Anna's house. A now awkward moment passed between them. The only thing Anna could hear was the loud beating of her heart.

"Thank you, again, for the rose and for dinner." Anna managed.

"Thank you for agreeing to come, even though you were reluctant."

Anna put her hand on her hip. "I was not! I said yes."

"True, but your eyes told a different story." He brushed the hair from her forehead, and softly touched the scratch on her head. "Your bump looks better." His gentle touch made her shiver. "Does it hurt?"

"No." Anna breathed.

He ran his hand down the side of her face. "Good." Devin whispered.

Anna could tell it was coming. He was going to kiss her. And he did just that. Although it was short and gentle, Anna couldn't believe the way it made her feel. It was enough to knock her over.

000

"How did it go?" Maria asked her granddaughter the next day. She fully expected Anna to come for a visit after her date, and, by the look on her granddaughter's face, she could tell it went rather well.

"He's amazing, Grandma. He is kind and gentle, but strong and mysterious at the same time. He's nothing like I thought he'd be." Anna breathed.

"And he kissed you." Maria observed.

Anna gawked at her. "How could you possibly have known that?"

"Your eyes are practically shining with joy, Anna. Plus, I've never seen you smile so big in all my life." Her grandmother teased. "You really like this man, don't you?"

Anna swallowed. "Yes, I do."

000

_Anya couldn't remember ever being so tired. "Dmitri, wait!" Her breathing was rapid. She was used to harder labor than most girls her age, but this sort of walking was ridiculous. They starting walking before the sun rose and had barely taken any breaks. "I need to stop."_

_Dmitri stopped and looked toward the setting sun. "Okay, we should probably start setting up camp anyway, it's getting late."_

_Anya leaned against a tree. "Good idea."_

_Once Anya could breathe normally again, she helped collect firewood and made a fire. Dmitri sat down next to her and Pooka._

"_How much further do we have to travel?" She asked._

"_Anya, it's only been a day. We still have two more to go."_

_Anya groaned. Dmitri swung a bag off his shoulder. He hadn't let it out of his sight since they left. "What's in the bag?" She asked._

"_It's nothing."_

_His quick reply made Anya suspicious. "Then tell me."_

_Dmitri stared at her with a disbelieving look on her face. "What's in that bag is frankly none of your business."_

_Anya peered over Dmitri suspiciously at the bag. A thought suddenly popped in her head. "Did you steal that?" She accused him._

"_What? No, of course not!" He suddenly grinned at her. "Why do you have such a negative opinion of me?"_

"_Because you just seem like that type that would steal to make a living."_

"_While I do like jewels, I'm not that kind of person."_

"_Then why won't you show me?"_

"_Because it's none of your business and you ask far too many questions!"_

_Anya made a face. "That's only because you don't give enough answers."_

_They were quite for a long time after that, staring into the fire. Anya eyed Dmitri's bag again. Dmitri caught the look and tried to hide his smile, but he couldn't hide the laugh. _

"_What's so funny?" Anya glared, afraid she'd been caught._

"_It's killing you, isn't it?"_

"_Yes, as a matter of fact, it is." She raged as she looked away from him. Dmitri put something in front of her face. Anya grabbed it. It was a picture of two children. They were laughing, posing under a tree. They looked happy, without a care in the world. Anya wished she shared that._

"_A picture of two munchkins, that's it?"_

_Dmitri smiled. "Were you expecting hidden jewels?"_

_Anya smiled. "Maybe….who are they?"_

"_Well, the goofy looking guy was me and the red head was my friend."_

"_Where is she now?" Anya asked._

"_No one knows. She was the king's daughter, Anastasia."_

_Anya couldn't believe it. "You were friends with the king's daughter?"_

_Dmitri smiled playfully. "Well, don't look so surprised."_

"_Sorry, it's just that…" She struggled with her words. "Well…."_

_Dmitri gave her a knowing look. "The Romanovs weren't the only ones who lost everything that day, Anya. I lost everything too. I lost my best friend and my home. I was an orphan and King Nicholas took me in." He paused, trying to decide how much to tell her. "There are rumors that Anastasia still lives. They never found her body. I've held onto that ever since I was a little kid, always searching for her." He took the picture back, and placed it in his bag. "I guess I'm looking for a new start too."_

_Anastasia smiled and announced she was going to bed. Dmitri watched her as she fell asleep. He never met such a curious and determined girl before. He was still trying to figure out why he wanted to help her. Actually, if he was honest with himself, he knew why. She reminded him of Anastasia. Every red headed girl with dark green eyes reminded him of Anastasia. Helping them made him feel like he was helping her._

_**A/N: I love stories that don't necessarily start off as love at first sight, and I hope you do too since this story follows that! 3**_


	8. The Rest is History

_Anya felt a lot better after the night's rest she got. She almost felt like she could survive day two of three. She helped Dmitri pack up camp and they were off again._

_Dmitri started the conversation for the day. "So I think you owe me a story now."_

"_Excuse me?" Anya questioned._

"_You heard me. I told you why I wanted a new start. I think I deserve to know the same about you."_

_Anya considered it. "I doubt you'll believe me."_

"_Try me." It wasn't really a challenge. It was more of a comment filled with concern, curiosity, and care._

"_Okay." Anya thought about where to start, beginning to feel a little insecure and afraid of what he'd think. "I lost everything too, including my family, and I don't remember how." She whispered. She finally let herself look up at him. He held her eyes with the same compassion she heard in his voice. "I lost all memories from my past when I was 8."_

"_What happened? Where's your family?"_

_Anya laughed at how crazy her story would sound to him. "A couple found me in the woods. I was filthy and smelled like smoke." She grasped they key that hung around her neck. "They took me in. My real family never found me."_

"_And you couldn't find them."_

_Anya shook her head. "I never had the chance. The couple that found me led me to believe they were my parents. My "father" recently told me otherwise."_

_Dmitri looked at his feet. "I'm sorry, Anya." He looked up. "Is that why you want a fresh start? So you can find them?"_

_Anya shook her head yes. "More than anything." _

_Suddenly, an idea hit Dmitri. "I might know someone who could help you."_

_Anya looked at him expectantly, trying not to get too excited just yet. "Who?!"_

_Dmitri hesitated, not wanting to get her hopes up too much. It was a long shot, but it might just be crazy enough to work. "Her name is Marie Romanov."_

_Anya looked at him. "Romanov as in the royal family?"_

_Dmitri nodded. "Anastasia's grandmother."_

_Anya couldn't believe it. "You know her? How?"_

_Dmitri shrugged. "I worked in the castle, remember?" He hesitated. "Anya, she was the queen, this is a small kingdom. She may be able to help you, but she may also not remember everyone from a decade ago." He looked at her neck. "What is that?"_

_Anya looked at the chain she wore. She didn't even realize she was playing with it. "It's the only thing I have from my past."_

"_Your family gave it to you?"_

_Anya shrugged. "So I'm told. The couple found it on me in the woods."_

_Dmitri drew closer. "What does it say?"_

"_Always together…a promise they failed to keep."_

_Dmitri put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure it was one they wanted to."_

_Anya held his gaze for a few heartbeats before breaking the moment. He was too close for comfort. She wasn't sure what'd she would do if she stared into those compassionate eyes another second longer. She tore her eyes away from his gaze and focused on walking._

_000_

_Dmitri woke up with a startle. They had finished day two of their track. He had slept soundly until now. What was that noise? He looked around. On the other end of the fire, Anya was screaming. He shot up to her side. A small burst of relief fell over him when he reached her side. She was only dreaming. He gently shook her. "Anya, wake up."_

_His voice obviously startled her. She gasped and sat up. _

"_Are you okay?" He asked. He knew she was tired. She fell asleep as soon as they stopped after their second day's journey. A guilty feeling pierced through him. Maybe he pushed her too hard. He was glad they would make their destination tomorrow._

_It took her a few seconds to totally come to. When she was somewhat coherent, Anya shook her head. "No…I've never had a dream like that before."_

"_Do you want to tell me about it?" He asked gently._

_She stared at the ground as she told her story, "There was a little girl and boy walking in the meadow. I couldn't see their faces, but I knew they were happy. They were playing…not a care in the world. Suddenly, the picture turned dark. There was smoke everywhere…men with swords. They were trying to kill me and I was helpless to stop them…until that same boy saved me. He got me out." She looked up at him. "That's when you woke me up." She paused. "It felt so real."_

_Dmitri tried to think of something to say. That dream really didn't sound a like a dream at all. "It's okay, Anya. Try to go back to sleep. I'll be right here." _

_When he was sure she was comfortable enough, he tried to take his own advice and go back to sleep. However, his heart was beating too fast. Anya's dream sounded like Anastasia's past. Could Anya be her? It would fit. Anya didn't remember who she was….she lost her family at the same age….found in the woods. He'd gone down this road before, though. He continually had to remind himself that just because a young woman had red hair and dark eyes, that didn't make her Anastasia. He looked toward his bag. There was one way to find out for sure. _

_He didn't exactly tell Anya about everything in his bag. He slowly pulled out the other item: a music box. Anastasia's music box. His hand was shaking. He couldn't believe it! It was glowing blue. Dmitri looked toward Anya and smiled. He'd found her. He'd finally found her! _

_His smile faded as quickly as it came. How did he tell her? He wasn't good with this kind of thing. Besides, there was little chance she'd believe him anyways. He knew she didn't quite trust him yet. He couldn't really blame her, though. He probably wouldn't trust him either. _

_The smile came back to his face. Anastasia, his best childhood friend, was truly alive, sleeping only feet away from him! Dmitri felt a tear sting his eye. That horrible night he lost her had not only haunted his childhood, but it haunted him every moment since….even now, until now. He decided it was best to wait to tell her though….until when, he wasn't sure. He only knew she had to be ready to believe him._

**A/N: So when I first watched Anastasia, I was taken in with the whole key/music box idea. Hence, I really wanted to play up the idea in this story. When I remembered that Rumple enchanted Snow's ring so Charming could find her, I knew I had a story to run with! Tell me what you think!**


	9. A Choice To Make

_The next day, Dmitri was in the woods, taking a walk, trying to clear his head. Anya was still sleeping. He decided to let her. She had quite the night, and she would have quite the day ahead he was certain. He was far enough away to feel like he had privacy while still in eye shot of her in case she woke up and wondered where he was._

"_I told you it would work, dearie." _

_The voice that appeared behind Dmitri scared him. He turned around; pulling out the dagger he hid in his jacket. The last person he expected to see was sitting on the wood stump in front of him._

"_Rumplestiltskin, what are you doing here?" Dmitri demanded._

"_Oh, come now. Is that any way to treat the one who led you to what you desired most? Why the sudden change in mood?"_

"_I appreciate your help more than you know, but that doesn't mean I trust you. Now, explain why you're here."_

"_I just wanted to see your smiling face. I can never reunite with what I lost. I was curious to see what it'd look like if I could." Rumple studied him. "I expected it to look happier."_

"_Dmitri! How could you let me sleep so long?" Dmitri cringed as she listened to Anya approach behind him. This wasn't going to end well. "We have to get…." Anya stopped in mid-sentence when she saw that they had company. That face. It looked so familiar. She'd seen him before._

"_Well, hello there." Rumple dramatically waved. "What's your name, dearie?"_

"_Don't answer him." Dmitri warned._

_Anya didn't know what to say. She recognized that voice too and this time she knew where. He was the man Dmitri was talking to in the woods! _

_Rumple laughed. "No matter. You don't even know the answer really."_

_Anya peered over Dmitri to get a better look at the man. "How did you know that?"_

"_There's very little I don't know."_

"_Then you know who I am?" Anya felt a twinge of hope._

_Dmitri turned to face her, grabbing her shoulders and attention. "Anya, stop. I know what you're thinking, but you're wrong. You don't know what he is capable of. You have to believe me." Anya thought he sounded desperate, but she still wasn't convinced._

"_Or what?" She challenged._

"_You'll lose everything." Dmitri breathed._

_Anya laughed with desperation. "I already have!"_

"_No, not everything. You'll lose yourself too. Everything comes with a price with this...Rumplestiltskin. You can't trust him."_

"_Oh, and I can trust you?" _

"_Yes, I can help you, Anya. I know I can, but you have to let me in. I promise I will not hurt you. You've suffered enough already."_

_Anya looked over Dmitri's shoulder at Rumplestiltskin and then back at Dmitri, whose eyes held nothing but honesty. Rumplestiltskin's held something full of hatred. _

"_I don't have all day, dearie." Rumplestiltskin said impatiently. "What's it going to be?"_

"_Dmitri. I choose Dmitri." Anya breathed. With that, Rumplestiltskin disappeared just as quickly as he came._

_000_

Anna met Devin at his shop for lunch. They've been dating for three weeks now. Anna couldn't believe how quickly they'd grown together. Anna's head told her to slow down, but her heart said to keep going.

"The place is looking great!" Anna called. The refurbishing was almost complete. Devin had been working really hard on getting the place up to par.

Devin looked around in admiration. "Thanks. I just have a few more touches before it's done." He looked toward her and frowned. "What's wrong?"

Anna looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"You look distracted."

Anna shook her head. The only other person who could read her so easily besides her grandmother was Devin. And her grandma had a 20 year advantage on him.

"My grandmother insists on meeting you…and I kind of told her we'd have lunch together." Anna cringed, waiting for his response.

Devin smiled. Anna was shocked that this actually pleased him. "What have you told her about me?"

"Only that you're ill-behaved and unbearable."

"I don't believe you." Devin walked up to her and moved the hair from her forehead like he'd done a dozen times since that first night. Anna's forehead now bore a light scar. It never failed to somehow capture his attention. "When?"

Anna smiled innocently up at him. "Now?"

**A/N: Choosing Dmitri was a huge step for Anya. Trusting was easy for Anastasia. But for Anya, it had only caused heartache. Anna is also a little cautious with Devin, but she's more willing to dive in. I hope you guys enjoyed where I'm taking this story. **


	10. The Meeting

"_Here we are." Dmitri finally said. The sun indicated it was already afternoon. Anya was proud with herself for not getting so tired this time. She studied their destination. It was a quaint little cottage located a little outside of whatever kingdom they were now in. Anya thought it was funny she never thought to ask Dmitri where they were going. She hadn't cared at the time. She just wanted to get away._

"_This is where the queen lives?" Anya was expecting something a little bigger, more majestic._

_Dmitri grinned. "Yes. What? Did you expect a castle?"_

"_Well, sort of!" Anya wondered why she ever trusted Dmitri. He hadn't done much to prove his trustworthiness. That's when she remembered his honest eyes back in the forest with Rumplestiltskin. She saw so much honesty there that she had no choice but to let herself trust him._

"_The queen has been in hiding since the Romanov reign fell. Sophie, her handmaid and friend, provides loyal company. Who knows who still might be after her? I haven't seen them for a while."_

"_Are they expecting you?" Anya asked. "Us? Dmitri, I don't want to be a nuisance."_

"_Anya, relax. You're just having jitters. Everything is going to be fine. They'll love you."_

_Anya glared at him then sighed. There wasn't much she could do at this point. She already came this far. Dmitri took her sigh as an agreement and knocked on the door. A round woman with a smiling face answered. _

"_Dmitri!" She laughed with excitement. "It's been far too long!" When she gave him a big bear hug, she noticed Anya. Anya smiled shyly. "And who do we have here?"_

_Dmitri glanced behind him as if he almost forgot she was there. "Sophie, this is my friend, Anya….Anya, this is Sophie."_

_Sophie shook her hand. "It's a pleasure, Anya." Sophie gave Dmitri a quick questioning glance. It was subtle enough that Anya didn't catch it, but strong enough that Dmitri did. "Come on in. You two must be tired from your journey."_

_Dmitri quickly explained Anya's memory loss and how he thought the queen might be able to provide some assistance. He left out the part of Anya being Anastasia for the time being. Sophie was more than willing to help, much to Anya's relief. She_ _invited them into the kitchen where another woman was having tea. Anya knew it had to be the queen herself. When Marie caught sight of Dmitri and Anya, she smiled warmly_.

"_Dmitri, what a pleasant surprise! It's so great to see you."_

_Dmitri bowed slightly. "My queen."_

_Marie peaked behind him towards Anya. "Hello, my dear."_

"_Hi, I'm Anya." Anya said, trying not to let her nerves get the best of her. "I'm a friend of Dmitri's."_

"_I'm Marie Romanov. It's nice to meet you." Marie smiled and shook her hand. Something felt so familiar about the handshake, though Anya was sure she was probably just tired from the long journey. _

_Sophie looked around. "Why don't we move to the sitting room?"_

_Anya happily took the invitation, until she heard Sophie add, "You two ladies go ahead. Dmitri and I will bring in some refreshments. Besides, I'd like to catch up with him anyway!" _

_Anya gave Dmitri a frightened look, pleading with him not to leave her. He shot her back a reassuring gaze that eased Anya's nerves a little. She hesitantly followed the queen to the other room._

_000_

Anna couldn't believe how nervous she was on the way to her grandmother's house with Devin. She had told Devin before about her grandmother's condition, her parents' death, and the close relationship she had always had with her grandmother. Anya could still see the pained expression in his eyes when she opened her heart to him. She rarely shared her true feelings with anyone, even her grandmother. Yet, with Devin, it was as easy and natural as her next breath. Would her grandmother understand? She seemed to approve of her relationship with him, but did she realize how fast it was going?

"Anna, everything's going to be fine," Devin assured her. "How could she not like me?"

Anna smiled. "I didn't like you at first."

Devin gave her a look. "You did too! You just didn't see it yet." His extent of confidence never ceased to surprise her.

"I found you overbearing." Anna said.

"I found you fascinating." Devin stated simply. "When do you finally realize how much I cared about you?"

Anna smiled at the memory. "When you gave me that white rose on our first date." She looked toward him. "When did you know?"

It was Devin's turn to smile. "I knew there would be something special between us when you woke up in the hospital."

Anna gave him a look. "Devin, we barely knew each other at that point."

"Sometimes, Anna," He said, staring at her hand in his, "we can't see what others can, even when it's right in front of our eyes." He looked up at her. "What do you got there?" He nodded toward her key necklace.

Anna followed his gaze. "Oh, my grandma gave it to me when I was 8."

"What does it say?"

Anna smiled in thought at how much the key met to her, at all the key stood for. "Together always."

000

"Well, this must be Devin." Maria said as soon as the couple walked in. "You're right, Anna, he is quite dashing."

Devin gave Anna a smile. "You think I'm dashing?"

Anna pushed him away. "I think you have a big head."

Devin gave her a strange look. "You're attracted to big heads? That's a little weird, but I'll take it."

Maria laughed at out how easily they joked. "He's funny too." She reached out her hand. "It's nice to finally meet you, Devin."

Devin shook her hand. "The pleasure is mine, ma'am. Anna's told me a lot about you."

"Mm, and I you. Why don't you two have a seat?"

Anna was relieved at how incredibly well the lunch went. Her grandmother instantly took to Devin and vice versa. In fact, they each told her as much at separate times the following day. Her grandmother didn't seem to think anything was wrong with the pace they were going at. Maybe Anna was just being overly cautious. Either way, Anna looked forward to seeing what was ahead of them.

**A/N: I thought it'd be fun to have Dmitri introduce Anya to her grandmother in Fairytale Land and Anna introduce Devin to Maria in Storybrooke. Every subtle difference counts in UOAT, so I definitely am trying to reflect that in this story. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! B)**


	11. Intervention

"_Sit down, Dmitri." Sophie offered. Dmitri reluctantly obeyed. There was something in her voice that told him he wasn't going to like this._

_Sophie studied Dmitri. She had to approach this gently. She had always had a soft spot for him. That horrible night 10 years ago didn't change that fact. Sophie had been like a mother to him since day one. She'd kept him on track all of his life. He was all alone since that horrible day at the castle. He was an orphan and lost his best friend. Sophie took him under her wing. She made sure he was okay before tending to the queen. Although they rarely met face-to-face now, they were still very close. _

"_Why don't you tell me why you're really here?" Sophie started. _

_Dmitri didn't understand. "I already told you about Anya."_

"_Dmitri, I know you well enough to know better." Sophie looked him square in the eye. "Why are you helping this girl?"_

_Dmitri shifted uncomfortably and sighed. He should have known Sophie would catch on. "You're going to think I'm crazy."_

_Sophie raised her eyebrow. "Try me."_

_Dmitri leaned in. "Sophie….I think she is Anastasia."_

_She sighed. "Dmitri! This has happened before! You find a girl with long red hair, dark green eyes, that fits the age profile and you instantly think she's Anastasia." Sophie caught her tone. "I know you still think she's alive, that she's still out there, but it's been ten years, Dmitri. You have to move on. She's not coming back. Don't you think after all your efforts; you would have found her by now?"_

_Dmitri knew that in any other situation, Sophie would be right, but this was real. He was not sure if Sophie believed a word of this, but he proceeded to tell her about the dream Anya had anyway._

_Sophie sat back in her chair when he finished. "It's all coincidence, Dmitri." _

_Dmitri shook his head in disagreement. "That's not all, Sophie." He pulled out the jewelry box. It was still glowing blue._

_Sophie leaned closer, her mouth dropping open. "Is it supposed to be doing that?"_

"_Yes, an enchantment was put on it by…a man of magic." Dmitri cautiously added._

_Sophie raised her eyebrow. "Which one?" _

_Dmitri met her gaze. "You know which one." He mumbled._

"_He's a dangerous man, Dmitri. How could you trust him?"_

"_Snow led me to him. James found her when Rumplestiltskin enchanted the engagement ring. It glowed as he got closer to her."_

"_Are you saying this jewelry box is supposed to glow when you get close to Anastasia?"_

_Dmitri nodded. "That's exactly what I'm saying."_

_She looked skeptical. "I thought the item had to be something that belonged to her for it to work."_

"_Sophie, this is Anastasia's."_

_Dmitri watched as Sophie's eyes fill with tears. "What? Where did you get it?"_

"_I've had it since the day the kingdom fell. Anastasia dropped it and I picked it up. I tried to get it back to her, but it was too late."_

"_And you're just showing me it now, because…." Sophie waited for an explanation._

_Dmitri frowned. She was missing the importance here. "Because this was the only memory I had of her after that day. I didn't want to share it with anyone." He leaned forward in his chair, longing for her to understand. "Sophie, this goes far beyond coincidence! I know this girl is Anastasia." _

_A smile suddenly played on Sophie's lips. She's tried to hide it, but Dmitri caught it before she could. _

_He searched her eyes. "How is any of this funny?" He asked._

"_Oh, it's not." Sophie assured him, stifling a laugh._

_Dmitri crossed his arms. "Then why are you laughing?" _

_Sophie pointed at him. "You, my friend, are falling for this girl."_

_Dmitri gawked at her. "I'm not imagining this!"_

"_I never said you were. What you're saying is possible, Dmitri, but you have to admit that it's not very likely." Sophie shrugged. "Believe what you will, but you can't deny it forever. You like her. Try as you might, you can't stop yourself, so you made her out to be Anastasia instead, so it made sense of why you'd feel attracted to her." She leaned in and added in a whisper, "And you shouldn't let a girl like that get away."_

_Dmitri shook his head. If the jewelry box wouldn't make Sophie believe, how was he ever going to get Anya to believe him?_

_000_

_As soon as they entered the sitting room, Anya was instantly taken by a picture displayed above the fireplace. She studied it, not realizing that the queen was watching her. It was a picture of a family….the only thing she desired. The couple was happily holding a little girl, about 3 years old. She was gorgeous and had a huge smile on her face._

"_It's a great picture, isn't it?" The queen asked._

"_Yes," Anya whispered. She looked at the queen. "Who are they?"_

"_That is my son, Nicholas with his wife and daughter, my precious Anastasia."_

_Anya felt stupid. Of course! How could she not of seen that? "I'm so sorry about what happened, your majesty." She unintentionally started playing with the key around her neck, lost for words in the awkward moment._

"_Thank you, my dear." She studied Anya. "What is that you're playing with?"_

_Anya followed the queen's gaze. She studied the key that hung around her neck. "It was a gift from my family."_

"_May I see it?" The queen asked._

_Anya innocently thought nothing of it. She didn't catch the look in the queen's eye. She willingly took the necklace off and handed it to the queen._

_Marie studied it. She was always good at keeping calm. "It's lovely." She peered closer. "What does it say?" _

_Anya smiled. "It says 'Always Together'."_

"_And where did you say you got it?"_

_Anya's smile faded some. Her voice almost sounded suspicious. "From my family."_

_Anya could not have been more shocked as to what happened next. The queen's relaxed demeanor turned to rage in a heartbeat._

"_You liar!" The queen growled. "Where did you really get this? Who did you take it from?"_

"_Your majesty, please! Calm down. What on earth has gotten into you?" Anastasia desperately exclaimed._

_The queen ignored Anya, grabbing her shoulders. "Tell me!"_

_Anya searched for the right words, pain surging through her shoulders at the queen's tight grasp. "I already told you." She said in horror. "It was a gift from my family." She loosened the queen's grip. She tried to grab the necklace, afraid to lose the only thing she had form her past, but the queen drew it back farther._

"_Get out." The queen growled._

_The threat in the voice was enough to scare Anya back. She eyed the queen as she hurried to the kitchen to where she hopped Dmitri still sat. Much to her relief, he was. She marched toward him and, without thinking, grabbed his hand and dragged him from the table._

"_We're leaving." She stated simply._

_Dmitri was confused. "What? Why?"_

_He caught a single tear run down her face. "Anya, what happened?" He prodded._

"_I don't know what you were thinking when you brought me here. That woman is insane." Anger was taking over now. She knew it wasn't Dmitri's fault, but he was the only one she could think of to blame. She quickly recapped what happened when they were outside. She couldn't believe the situation herself. Sophie had followed them out, listening to every word. She shared a look with Dmitri._

_Sophie cleared her throat. "Why don't you take this money and stay at the inn that is a few miles away from here?" She offered._

_Dmitri shook his head. "Sophie, you know I don't like taking money from you. I'm sure we'll be fine." He gave her a reassuring smile._

_Sophie looked over towards Anya. She was about to break from hurt over a situation she was helpless to control. She lowered her voice so only he could hear. "Please, Dmitri. It's the least I can do."_

_Dmitri gave in. "Thank you, Sophie."_

_000_

_Marie didn't even hear him come in. She was sound asleep. The sudden feel of a hand covering her lips scared her into a panic. She tried to gasp for help but couldn't._

"_Your majesty," The voice reasoned, "relax. I'm not going to hurt you. I just need to show you the truth about your granddaughter."_

_Although his face was hid in the dark, Marie recognized the voice. It was Dmitri! Had he gone mad? Still, Marie relaxed some. Knowing Dmitri would never hurt her, she let him lead her out the window. Marie was impressed that they didn't make a noise as they left. When they were deep into the woods, she was let go. Dmitri lit a lantern._

_Now free, Marie let the anger she'd been holding back surge through. "What on earth is the meaning of this? Carrying me away in the dark of night? What on earth has gotten into you, Dmitri?"_

_Dmitri now knew where Anya got her temper. Once Dmitri calmed Anya down enough last night and she was able to fall asleep, he thought about the bizarre turn of events. It took him forever to get her to open up. She was so upset. _

_The loss of her family had plagued the queen over the years. Now that she was older, the pain got worse. Sometimes it messed with her better judgment. Still, he had to wonder why she would lose her sense so quickly._

"_I want the key. It belongs to the girl." Dmitri quietly reasoned._

"_It belongs to my granddaughter." The queen shot back._

_Dmitri took a step forward. "Where is the key, your majesty?"_

_The queen met his gaze. When she didn't budge or say a word, Dmitri pulled out the jewelry box from his bag. "I want to know," Dmitri whispered, "if it unlocks this." He was relieved they were far enough away from Anya that it wasn't glowing._

_Marie put her hand to her mouth in disbelief. A small gasp escaped her lips. "Where on earth did you get this?" She reached out to touch the last thing she shared with her granddaughter._

"_Anastasia dropped it before she left. I've kept it ever since."_

_Marie's face turned dim. "Did she drop the key too?"_

_Dmitri knew to tread lightly. "Then the key opens the jewelry box?"_

_Marie shook her head, taking the key from around her neck. "It's not a jewelry box. It's a music box. I gave it to her right, along with the key, right before the raid." She carefully took the box from him. The key fit the lock perfectly. Suddenly, sweet music filled the air._

_Dancing bears, painted wings_

_Things I almost remember_

_And a song someone sings_

_Once upon a December_

_Marie shut the box. A small smile played on her face. Dmitri recognized the tune. Anastasia sang its song all the time when they were little._

"_You did not answer my question." Marie stated._

"_How much did Anya tell you about herself?" Dmitri asked._

_Dmitri could tell that Marie did not understand, but she played along anyway. "I'm afraid very little."_

"_That's what I thought." Dmitri started. "When she was 8 years old, she lost all memories of her past. She doesn't know how that happened, but an older couple took her in, made her believe she was their daughter. Not until ten years later did she discover the truth when she was finally given back that very same key." Dmitri paused. "You see, your majesty, Anya wants nothing more than to discover who her real family is, where she really comes from, who she really is."_

"_Dmitri," The queen interrupted, "please don't tell me you think that that girl is my granddaughter. You've had suspicions of other girls before, but this is just too much. "_

"_Why not?" He wanted nothing more than to make her believe. "It makes perfect sense! The timing is just right. How else do you explain the necklace?"_

"_Did you ever stop to think she was lying?"_

_Dmitri shook his head. "No, not Anya."_

_Marie raised her eyebrow. "You've fallen in love with her."_

_Dmitri was irritated. "Why does everyone keeping saying that?"_

"_Well, probably because it's true." Marie focused back on the situation at hand. "Look, Dmitri. Anastasia is gone. I didn't want to accept that for a long time. After we lost her with whatever magic that man used, we searched frantically as soon as we could. By then, she was gone, nowhere to be found." Marie's voice got choked up. "It was too late. She burned in that fire, Dmitri. She's gone. Anya probably just found the necklace before she fell and lost her memory."_

"_No, that couple must have got to her before you could. That's the only explanation. You have to believe me, your majesty. How can you not see this? You have to realize what you're not realizing!" Dmitri pleaded. "At least just talk to her! See for yourself! She is exactly the way we both knew she'd grow up to become."_

_Marie sighed. She couldn't say no to that helpless look. "Fine, if the girl will talk to me, I will oblige." She turned to walk away before looking back again. "Does she know you think she's Anastasia?"_

_Dmitri shook his head. "No."_

"_And why haven't you told her?"_

"_She wasn't ready. Plus, it'd probably sound better coming from you."_

_000_

_Anya woke up to Pooka's cold nose touching her arm. She smiled. Good thing she was a morning person. "Hey, buddy."_

_A knocked sounded at the door. "Anya? Are you awake?"_

_It was Dmitri. She got up and opened the door._

_Dmitri smiled. "How are you feeling?"_

_She knew what he meant. "Better." She answered truthfully. She studied him. "How long have you been out here?'_

_Dmitri ignored the question. "The queen wants to talk with you." _

_Anya's eyebrow rose. "Why?"_

"_Why don't you go find out? She's waiting outside to take a walk with you."_

_Anya couldn't believe this. "Did you tell her to come? She's not going to help me anymore, Dmitri. She exploded yesterday. I have no idea what got into her."_

"_That's what she wants to talk to you about." Dmitri calmly replied._

_As always, curiosity took over Anya. She had to see what the queen had to say. Plus, she was hoping to get her key back. Once ready, she slowly made her way outside the inn. She found the queen standing there, waiting patiently. She looked calm and collected; a sharp contrast to yesterday. _

"_Good morning, Anya." She said gracefully._

"_Good morning, your majesty." Anya replied skeptically._

"_Oh, please. Call me Marie." She smiled. "Are you up for a walk?"_

_Anya nodded in agreement, eyeing her suspiciously. Once they were out a little ways, Marie continued._

"_I wanted to apologize for the way I acted yesterday, Anya. I'm not sure what came over me." She hesitated. "Actually, I do. I couldn't have been more shocked to see that key. I gave one to my granddaughter long ago that looked just like it. It has the same engraving and everything."_

_That made a little more sense as to her reaction. "It has to be a coincidence, Marie. I know this key is mine."_

"_Where did your family get it?" Her voice was full of kindness, not suspicion. It made Anya feel comfortable to share her story._

"_Well, I can't say…that is, I don't know." Anya started. "I was adopted in a way. My parents never told me who I really was until recently, when I got the key back. My parents said they took it from me when they found me….but the key almost looks familiar to me. Maybe it's just wishful thinking, they could have gotten it from anywhere, but then again, why would they make up a story about the key, knowing how I'd react? It feels so close to me. It's the only thing I have from my real family. It's the only thing that connects me to them. It shows that they at least once cared about me."_

"_You said the couple found you…where?"_

"_In the woods. I still don't know how I got there."_

"_Anya, did your parents show you what the key unlocked?"_

_Anya looked at her. She didn't understand. "No, I don't think it unlocks anything. I think it's just a necklace."_

"_Well…" Marie started as she took out something from her bag. Anya looked over her shoulder. It was her key! – Along with a jewelry box. Anya got a closer look. The top of it was glowing against the sun. _

_Anya stepped back. "Is it supposed to be doing that?" She asked curiously._

_Marie held up. "It was doing that last night too once we got closer to the inn."_

"_What are you talking about? You were here last night?" Anya questioned._

"_Yes. Dmitri wanted me to agree to show this to you." Anya wanted to argue, she had so many questions running through her head. All the questions stopped when Marie took the key and unlocked the box. It was a perfect fit. The box opened and played a song. One that Anya recognized. She didn't know how, but she knew the melody and lyrics by heart:_

_Dancing bears, painted wings_

_Things I almost remember_

_And a song someone sings_

_Once upon a December_

_Marie started humming along. Her eyes were shut, as if a memory was running through her mind._

___Someone holds me safe and warm_

_Horses prance through a silver storm_

_Figures dancing gracefully_

_Across my memory_

___Far away, long ago_

_Glowing dim as an ember_

_Things my heart used to know_

_Once upon a December_

___Someone holds me safe and warm_

_Horses prance through a silver storm_

_Figures dancing gracefully_

_Across my memory_

_Marie shut the box and opened her eyes._

"_I know that song." Anya thought out loud._

"_It was the song that my granddaughter and I used to sing." She smiled and then studied Anya._

_Anya felt uncomfortable under her gaze. "Is there something wrong, your majesty? I mean, Marie."_

"_No, my dear. I'm sorry for staring. It's just…." She hesitated. "All of this is almost too coincidental…."_

_Anya looked at her, confused. "I don't understand."_

"_The key, the music box, the song, your loss of memory, you were found in the woods, probably even the glowing…."_

_Anya cut her off. "Marie, you don't think…."_

"_It's a perfect fit!" Marie exclaimed. "I think Dmitri was right, Anya. You are her."_

_Anya's mind was spinning. "Dmitri thinks I'm Anastasia?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Why didn't he say anything?"_

"_He said he wanted you to hear it from me."_

"_How can you believe him? None of this makes any sense."_

"_I didn't believe him until right now, my dear." Marie took a step forward. "I had to see the look on your face when the key unlocked the music box. I knew it'd either be one of guilt for taking the key or shock that it worked. I am so relieved and thankful that it was the latter." Marie shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe you're alive. I gave up all hope a long time ago."_

_Anya took a step back. "Marie…." She didn't know what to say, but this was making her feel very uncomfortable. _

_Marie frowned. "You don't believe me...you still don't remember."_

"_How can you be so sure that I should remember? Don't you think I'd know if I was royalty?" Anya wanted to desperately to say the words this woman wanted to hear, but she just couldn't. It wouldn't be true. "This would all be perfect if it was right, but it's not. I can't allow us to believe a fantasy. We both have to face reality. I'm not Anastasia."_

_The look of sadness and hurt on Marie's face tore Anya's heart apart. "I'm so sorry, your majesty." Anya whispered as she turned to walk away._

"_Anasta…" She stopped herself. "Anya, wait."_

_Anya turned around to face her. Marie stepped forward. "I want you to keep the key and music box. You were right." She smiled briefly. "They do belong to you." _

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it's been a while since I posted a new chapter….life has been crazy. Anyways, tell me what you think of chapter 11! B)**


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